


Who Can Soothe Smidgen?

by Caedmon



Category: Marvel, Marvel (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Age of Ultron trailer, Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie), Babyfic, Babysitting, Clint Feels, Darcy/Steve if you squint, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Tony Stark Has A Heart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-29
Updated: 2014-07-29
Packaged: 2018-02-10 22:36:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,188
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2042877
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Caedmon/pseuds/Caedmon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Clint and Natasha have a baby girl. They are at work, Darcy is babysitting, and it's Movie Night in the tower. The baby is crying incessantly, and the question arises - who can soothe the baby?</p><p>A fluffy, drabbly little reimagining of the scene from the AoU trailer.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Who Can Soothe Smidgen?

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The Princess of Avengers Tower](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1866138) by [Caedmon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Caedmon/pseuds/Caedmon). 



> This scene runs parallel to my story "Princess of Avengers Tower." The characters and characterizations are the same. Thanks for reading!
> 
> caedmonfaith.tumblr.com

Monday night was movie night. It had become a tradition almost immediately after the Avengers all moved into the tower together; whoever was there on Monday nights gathered in the common room and watched a movie together. They would watch movies other nights too sometimes, but on Monday it was a foregone conclusion and the movie started at 8:30. The only thing that had changed, really, was the type of movies. Since Erinna Barton had been born and there was a little one around, they tended to stick with comedies or dramas - nothing that could be considered scary. It didn't matter if she was only five months old, she was special. She was Smidgen, their little Princess, and she must be protected from the scary things in the world. They could watch the action or horror movies in their apartments; when Erinna was around, that wasn't happening. 

But tonight Darcy had Erinna and had decided not to come to Movie Night. Tony and Steve had both tried to get her to come, but she claimed the baby was out of sorts and would only dampen everyone's good time. Thor laughingly offered to go get her and Smidgen anyway; he said he'd be happy to cradle the baby in one arm and toss Darcy over the other shoulder. When Bruce pointed out Cap's scowl at his manhandling of Darcy, Thor backed off his suggestion. So the baby wasn't in attendance tonight and since they didn't have a little one whose sensibilities had to be protected to think about, the selection for the night was "Goldeneye".

Bruce wasn't paying much attention; he'd had an idea and was jotting notes on his notepad. He thought better when he wrote and the little pad of paper he kept with him had helped him process countless ideas over the years. People laughed, but sometimes the simplest tools were the most effective. But he wasn't all that engrossed in the movie, which is why he heard her first. A wail in the distance, far off but insistent, growing closer. _Erinna_. Something's wrong. One by one, they all looked up, noting the disturbance with mixed levels of confusion and alarm until Darcy came into the room, clutching a crying baby to her chest, biting her lip and looking around desperately.

"Guys, I can't even anymore. She won't stop and I don't know what to do." She spoke loudly to be heard over Erinna's wails, but her voice cracked with tears and she looked around, wild eyed. Steve rushed to her side and put a comfort in hand on her shoulder. "Nat's in that interrogation with the rings guy. Clint was supposed to be back from the mission like two hours ago. She's been crying for an hour and nothing is making it better. You gotta fix it." The tears spilled, and she looked at Steve hopefully as she snuggled Erinna closer. "Steve, you can make her stop, right?"

Steve glanced around at the other guys, a rare and fleeting look of fear crossing his strong features. After half a beat, he smiled reassuringly at Darcy, squared himself and hugged her shoulders before taking the baby. "Of course I can. It'll be just fine, Darce, we've got you."

Cap held Erinna to his shoulder and walked a couple of circuits around the room, bouncing. Bruce questioned Darcy, "Is she hungry? Wet?"

Darcy wiped her eyes with the back of her sleeve. "I did everything I can think of. Nothing worked."

Tony followed Steve around the room with his eyes anxiously, reflexively raising his hands a bit every now and then. "You're bouncing her too hard, no wonder she's yelling."

"She's fine, Tony. Darcy, does she have a pacifier or something?"

"She's not fine! You're going to topple her head off. Hand her to me."

"No. Here, give me her pacifier."

Erinna continued to wail, refusing the pacifier. Color heightened in Steve's cheeks, and Thor strode over to him confidently. "Surrender young Smidgen to me, Captain, infants and young ones find that I have a calming way about me."

Cap handed Erinna over and walked back to Darcy, exchanging strained glances as they watched Thor begin to sway back and forth and sing a song none of them had heard in a language none of them recognized. The baby seemed even more agitated by the minute, stiffening and balling her fists angrily. 

"Jesus, Thor, are you killing her?!" Tony's voice had more than a trace of panic in it. "She's so little, you have to be so careful...don't squeeze or anything..."

Cap looked over at Bruce. "Why don't you try it? You spend a lot of time around her, too." 

"No, no. I don't think I need to know whether or not I'm a comforting person to be around."

"Oh for crying out loud. Give her here." Tony stomped over to Thor and put his arms out demandingly. "Now."

Thor looked momentarily startled, then his lip quirked as he passed a still-screaming Erinna over. "As you like, metal man."

Tony accepted the little bundle with surprising gentleness and began crooning softly immediately. "There, there little Smidgen. Uncle Tony's got you. Yes, I know. Poor baby. Yes, poor baby girl."

The room was stunned as Erinna's cries softened for a moment before returning full blast. Tony continued talk to the baby, questioning her softly about what was wrong and assuring her that Uncle Tony was going to make it all better. Erinna's only answer was to wail pitifully.

"What's going on?"

Every head snapped up to find Clint standing in the doorway with Sam, bag still strapped across his shoulders. His brow was knitted with a frown as he darted his eyes around the room to each of their faces. "What's wrong with Erinna?"

"She's been crying for a while, Clint," Darcy hastened to explain. "I tried everything to get her to calm down. Nothing worked, I'm so sorry."

"We all tried, Clint," Cap volunteered.

Tony was still swaying with her. "She got a little quieter for me for just a second, then started back up. She just can't be soothed."

Clint raised his eyebrow and smirked at that. He tossed off his bag and crossed the room, easing a screaming Erinna away from Tony and into his strong arms. He bent down to kiss her head and whispered, "Hey hey, pretty girl. I've got you. It's okay now. Ssshhh..." as he nuzzled her into his chest. Her cries tapered off suddenly, then died at the sound of his voice, and she lay silent in his arms, looking at him. 

The rest of the room was silent - both out of shock and a desire to not wake the baby. They watched Clint cradle the little pink bundle gently as she drifted off to sleep, all of them pondering as he whispered to her occasionally and dropped another kiss to her forehead. 

When she was fully asleep, Tony spoke quietly. "That was amazing, Birdie. But how did you calm her down so effortlessly? Why couldn't any of us?"

"Simple." Clint smiled broadly. "None of you are Daddy."


End file.
